Download or read book Engaging Characters written by Murray Smith and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-05-12 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characters - those fictional agents populating the fictional worlds we spend so much time absorbed in - are ubiquitous in our lives. We track their fortunes, judge their actions, and respond to them with anger, amusement, and affection - indeed the whole palette of human emotions. Powerfully drawn characters transcend their stories, entering into our imaginations and deliberations about the actual world, acting as analogies and points of reference. And yet there has been remarkably little sustained and systematic reflection on these creatures that absorb so much of our attention and emotional lives. In Engaging Characters, Murray Smith sets out a comprehensive analysis of character, exploring the role of characters in our experience of narrative and fiction. Smith's analysis focuses on film, and also illuminates character in literature, opera, song, cartoons, new and social media. At the heart of this account is an explanation of the capacity of characters to move us. Teasing out the various dimensions of character, Smith explores the means by which films draw us close to characters, or hold us at a distance from them, and how our beliefs and attitudes are formed and sometimes reformed by these encounters. Integrating these arguments with research on emotion in philosophy, psychology, evolutionary theory, and anthropology, Engaging Characters advances an account of the nature of fictional characters and their functions in fiction, imagination, and human experience. In this revised, twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Engaging Characters, Smith refines and extends the arguments of the first edition, with a substantial new introduction reviewing the debates on emotion, empathy, and film spectatorship that the book has inspired.

Download or read book The Craft of Character written by Mark Boutros and published by Mark Boutros. This book was released on 2020-12-24 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The most complete and comprehensive guide to character I've ever read." Adam Croft Character is at the heart of every story. We love stories because we fall in love with characters, we want to see what happens to them and we want to see them experience hope and despair. International Emmy nominated writer, Mark Boutros, offers a guide to creating characters who are engaging, emotionally driven and memorable. With experience as a screenwriter, novelist, creative writing teacher and mentor, Mark shares a mixture of theory and creative writing exercises to get you thinking about the questions to have in your mind during character creation. A lot of stories are perfectly functional, hitting all the right beats, but often fall short due to a thin or obvious character. Problems people think are related to plot are often symptoms of a deeper issue with the characters. Mark highlights what is at the core of character, the importance of motivation, trauma, obstacles and how every little detail can enrich an experience for an audience and ultimately make people care. How do you get to know people? By asking questions and getting to know them so you move past the shallow. Do the same during character development and your story will be so much more engaging for it. Each chapter focuses on an aspect important to character development and ends with exercises so you can apply the concepts to your work and write better characters. The book includes: - Goals, desires, lessons - Stakes to your character’s goal - Character flaws - Developing your character’s voice and world view - Generating truthful obstacles - How to write anti-heroes and compelling villains - Character and personality traits - Common mistakes in character writing - Character research - A character questionnaire The majority of the ideas originate from the author’s screenwriting experience, but they apply to all forms of story, whether it be fiction writing or playwriting, because the focus is on what really makes a character stand out and memorable. The job of the writer is to deliver an emotional experience. Character is the heart of that. If you're looking for a book to help you to improve your screenplay writing, fiction writing, or play writing then this is for you. An invaluable tool for beginner and experienced writers. This is perfect for anyone interested in screenwriting books, fiction writing books, or character development books. Praise for The Craft of Character: “Would 100% recommend not only for beginners, but also for experienced writers looking to get to know their characters better. A bit like writer-character therapy.” reader review “Both the chapters and the exercises are easy to understand and get through. Mark Boutros clearly knows his stuff and seems happy to be able to help the reader, rather than becoming lecturing and elitist. The structure of the book also means that it is easy to dip back into, when you come across a specific problem, and as such it is a great little reference book, which any aspiring storyteller would benefit from.” reader review “Normally, I find myself arguing with the author of craft books, but here I would say 90% of what I read were things I either found helpful, or flat out agreed with whole heartedly and just needed a reminder on why these things are important. The exercises were a excellent touch, especially as someone who is teaching writing, it gave me ideas on what to do for my students.” reader review

Download or read book Contemporary Hollywood Cinema written by STEVE NEALE and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-04-15 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive overview of the film industry in Hollywood today, Contemporary Hollywood Cinema brings together leading international cinema scholars to explore the technology, institutions, film makers and movies of contemporary American film making.

Download or read book Characters in Fictional Worlds written by Jens Eder and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2010-11-19 with total page 607 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although fictional characters have long dominated the reception of literature, films, television programs, comics, and other media products, only recently have they begun to attract their due attention in literary and media theory. The book systematically surveys today ́s diverse and at times conflicting theoretical perspectives on fictional character, spanning research on topics such as the differences between fictional characters and real persons, the ontological status of characters, the strategies of their representation and characterization, the psychology of their reception, as well as their specific forms and constellations in - and across - different media, from the book to the internet.

Download or read book Better Game Characters by Design written by Katherine Isbister and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-04-29 with total page 443 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Games are poised for a major evolution, driven by growth in technical sophistication and audience reach. Characters that create powerful social and emotional connections with players throughout the game-play itself (not just in cut scenes) will be essential to next-generation games. However, the principles of sophisticated character design and interaction are not widely understood within the game development community. Further complicating the situation are powerful gender and cultural issues that can influence perception of characters. Katherine Isbister has spent the last 10 years examining what makes interactions with computer characters useful and engaging to different audiences. This work has revealed that the key to good design is leveraging player psychology: understanding what's memorable, exciting, and useful to a person about real-life social interactions, and applying those insights to character design. Game designers who create great characters often make use of these psychological principles without realizing it. Better Game Characters by Design gives game design professionals and other interactive media designers a framework for understanding how social roles and perceptions affect players' reactions to characters, helping produce stronger designs and better results.

Download or read book A Good Kind of Trouble written by Lisa Moore Ramée and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-03-12 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From debut author Lisa Moore Ramée comes this funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and standing up for what’s right, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and the novels of Renée Watson and Jason Reynolds. Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble. All she wants to do is to follow the rules. (Oh, and she’d also like to make it through seventh grade with her best friendships intact, learn to run track, and have a cute boy see past her giant forehead.) But in junior high, it’s like all the rules have changed. Now she’s suddenly questioning who her best friends are and some people at school are saying she’s not black enough. Wait, what? Shay’s sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn't think that's for her. After experiencing a powerful protest, though, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking. She starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon everyone is taking sides. And she is given an ultimatum. Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn't face her fear, she'll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now that’s trouble, for real. "Tensions are high over the trial of a police officer who shot an unarmed Black man. When the officer is set free, and Shay goes with her family to a silent protest, she starts to see that some trouble is worth making." (Publishers Weekly, "An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List")

Download or read book Book Scavenger written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and published by Henry Holt and Company (BYR). This book was released on 2015-06-02 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times-Bestseller! For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it's the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger (a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles). Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game. Racing against time, Emily and James rush from clue to clue, desperate to figure out the secret at the heart of Griswold's new game—before those who attacked Griswold come after them too. This title has Common Core connections.

Download or read book Characters and Connections Engaging with Fiction Poetry Drama and Writing Literary Analysis written by Nancie Kahan and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-23 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characters and Connections is a textbook for advanced-level English learners in 103A-level Cegep courses. It is also suitable for the college Introduction to English (ICE) course offered in Quebec English colleges. The learning activities enable students to develop a better understanding ofEnglish-language literature and culture by responding thoughtfully and critically to literary works. Students learn about literary structure and devices, and analyze stories from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries and a variety of classical and contemporary poetry. The writing activities are animportant feature, inviting students to practice analytical and creative writing inspired by the texts. The texts feature a wide range of themes and literary styles, and are written by Canadian, American, and British authors. The later sections of the textbook include instruction on and models forwriting, oral presentations, grammar, and vocabulary.

Download or read book Reintegrating Severance written by Nora M. Isacoff and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Screening Characters written by Johannes Riis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-03-06 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characters are central to our experiences of screened fictions and invite a host of questions. The contributors to Screening Characters draw on archival material, interviews, philosophical inquiry, and conceptual analysis in order to give new, thought-provoking answers to these queries. Providing multifaceted accounts of the nature of screen characters, contributions are organized around a series of important subjects, including issues of class, race, ethics, and generic types as they are encountered in moving image media. These topics, in turn, are personified by such memorable figures as Cary Grant, Jon Hamm, Audrey Hepburn, and Seul-gi Kim, in addition to avatars, online personalities, animated characters, and the ensembles of shows such as The Sopranos, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad.

Download or read book Elements of Fiction Writing Characters Viewpoint written by Orson Scott Card and published by Writer's Digest Books. This book was released on 1999-03-15 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vivid and memorable characters aren't born: they have to be made. &break;&break;This book is a set of tools: literary crowbars, chisels, mallets, pliers and tongs. Use them to pry, chip, yank and sift good characters out of the place where they live in your memory, your imagination and your soul. &break;&break;Award-winning author Orson Scott Card explains in depth the techniques of inventing, developing and presenting characters, plus handling viewpoint in novels and short stories. With specific examples, he spells out your narrative options–the choices you'll make in creating fictional people so "real" that readers will feel they know them like members of their own families. &break;&break;You'll learn how to: &break; draw the characters from a variety of sources, including a story's basic idea, real life–even a character's social circumstances&break; make characters show who they are by the things they do and say, and by their individual "style"&break; develop characters readers will love–or love to hate&break; distinguish among major characters, minor characters and walk-ons, and develop each one appropriately&break; choose the most effective viewpoint to reveal the characters and move the storytelling&break; decide how deeply you should explore your characters' thoughts, emotions and attitudes

Download or read book Integrating Cognitive Architectures into Virtual Character Design written by Turner, Jeremy Owen and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2016-06-06 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cognitive architectures represent an umbrella term to describe ways in which the flow of thought can be engineered towards cerebral and behavioral outcomes. Cognitive Architectures are meant to provide top-down guidance, a knowledge base, interactive heuristics and concrete or fuzzy policies for which the virtual character can utilize for intelligent interaction with his/her/its situated virtual environment. Integrating Cognitive Architectures into Virtual Character Design presents emerging research on virtual character artificial intelligence systems and procedures and the integration of cognitive architectures. Emphasizing innovative methodologies for intelligent virtual character integration and design, this publication is an ideal reference source for graduate-level students, researchers, and professionals in the fields of artificial intelligence, gaming, and computer science.

Download or read book Creating Stylized Characters written by 3dtotal Publishing and published by . This book was released on 2018-06 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to create vibrant character designs with the step-by-step guidance of professional artists from the illustration and animation industries.

Download or read book Screenwriting Made Easy written by Maria Johnsen and published by Maria Johnsen. This book was released on with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I am thrilled to introduce my comprehensive guide, “Screenwriting Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your First Screenplay”. With my extensive experience in script coverage, analyzing over 388 scripts for filmmakers and film students, and my contribution as a ghostwriter for numerous short and feature films, I am certain that this book will prove to be an invaluable resource for aspiring screenwriters. In this book, I provide a detailed explanation of the screenwriting process, breaking it down into specific points and delving deeper into each step. This approach is part of my pedagogical method in accelerated learning practices in educational systems, designed to facilitate fast and effective learning. If you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, I encourage you to take a break, relax, and return to the book when you are ready to continue reading. As an experienced screenwriter, I offer practical advice and detailed instruction to help readers gain the skills and confidence needed to write a successful screenplay and navigate the complex entertainment industry. I understand that the world of screenwriting can be daunting, but I believe that with the right tools and insights, anyone can craft compelling stories that capture the attention of audiences and industry professionals alike. Throughout the book, I share my tried and true strategies to help aspiring screenwriters get their foot in the door and provide examples of screenwriting across various genres. I firmly believe that screenplay writing doesn’t have to be complicated, and I offer strategies for making your screenplay viable for production. Whether you’re a first-time screenwriter or looking to refine your skills, my book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in pursuing a career in screenwriting. I invite you to explore the world of screenwriting and to use this book as your guide on your journey towards success.

Download or read book Make Noise written by Eric Nuzum and published by Workman Publishing Company. This book was released on 2019-12-10 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An interestingly idiosyncratic and personal vision of how to make podcasts.”—Ira Glass Veteran podcast creator and strategist Eric Nuzum distills a career’s worth of wisdom, advice, practical information, and big-picture thinking to help podcasters “make noise”—to stand out in this fastest of fastest-growing media universes. Nuzum identifies core principles, including what he considers the key to successful audio storytelling: learning to think the way your audience listens. He delivers essential how-tos, from conducting an effective interview to marketing your podcast, developing your audience, and managing a creative team. He also taps into his deep network to offer advice from audio stars like Ira Glass, Terry Gross, and Anna Sale. The book’s insights and guidance will help readers successfully express themselves as effective audio storytellers, whether for business or pleasure, or a mixture of both.

Download or read book Character Design written by Anusorn Soisa-ngim and published by Anusorn Soisa-ngim. This book was released on 2024-08-29 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Create Characters That Captivate! Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and felt...nothing? The characters just didn’t resonate. Character Design is here to change that! This guide reveals the secrets to crafting unforgettable characters that leap off the page and into the hearts of your audience. Discover how to create multi-dimensional, relatable characters that drive your story forward. Aam Anusorn Soisa-ngim, a seasoned filmmaker, provides practical insights and real-world examples to help you build characters that truly connect with readers. Whether you’re a novice writer or a seasoned pro, this book will elevate your storytelling and transform your characters into unforgettable personas that captivate and inspire. Ready to Create Characters That Captivate? Dive into Character Design and start building characters that resonate, inspire, and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Download or read book Modern Character written by Julian Murphet and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2024-03-12 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking and comprehensive study, Julian Murphet examines how dramatists and prose writers at the turn of the twentieth century experimented with new forms of modern character. Old truisms of character such as consistency, depth, and verisimilitude are eschewed in favour of inconsistency, bad faith, and fragmentation.